ith energy, and galloped at our
horses' heads to our door, where we laid our offering in his hand and
bade him good night. The _Schutzmann_ is one of our privileges and
nuisances. I felt sorry for people who had been standing in the cold
street for hours to watch the procession of carriages and the gala
coaches (which the Ambassadors use on this occasion), because they
only get a glimpse through the frost-covered windows of glittering
uniforms and dazzling diamonds. Your dress (instructions as to which
are printed even to the smallest detail on the back of your
invitation) must be a ball-dress, with a train four meters long, short
sleeves, and a _decolletage_ of the Victorian period, and white kid
(_glace_) gloves.

[Illustration:
EMPEROR WILHELM IN THE UNIFORM OF THE GUARDS]

[Illustration:
THE EMPRESS OF GERMANY ON HER FAVORITE MOUNT]

We arrived at the Wendel entrance and mounted the long and fatiguing
staircase before we reached the second story where the state
apartments are. In the hall of the _corps de garde_ were several
masters of ceremony, who received us with deep bows. I wondered what
certain large baskets which looked like clothes-baskets were, and was
told that ladies wearing boas or lace wraps around their shoulders
were expected to drop them into these baskets. They would then be
conveyed to the other staircase, where, after the ceremony, we would
find our servants and carriages--and, we hoped, our boas! We passed
through different rooms where groups of ladies were assembled. The
_Corps Diplomatique_ filled two rooms. The ladies were in the first
one, which leads to the Throne Room.

The Hungarian and Russian ladies wear their national costumes, which
are very striking and make them all look like exotic queens. The
English ladies wear the three feathers and the long tulle white veil,
which make them look like brides. We others wear what we like,
ball-dresses of every hue, and all our jewels. No one can find fault
with us if our trains, our _decolletage_, our sleeves and gloves, are
not according to regulations.

The chamberlains arranged us, consulting papers which they had in
their hands, after the order of our rank. Being the latest member, I
was at the very end, only the wives of two _charges d'affaires_ being
behind me. The one directly behind me held up my train, just as I held
the train of the Peruvian Minister's wife in front of me. I hope that
I have made this clear to you. The _doyenne_